On This Date in New England Fire Rescue History and beyond The Top 1000+ (1391)

Criteria:
Generally 3rd Alarm or higher, if alarm level is known, or incidents that have headline in newspaper, or incidents that get mentioned in town history, or unusual incidents. Last update
May 2005

Please note that in colonial times (until 1752) the calendar year did not change until March 25 (Feast of the Annunciation), therefore a date such as March, 11 1683 (in its day) would be considered March 11, 1684 by standards used today (new years day = Jan 1) - You may see some dates listed as March 11, 1683/4. This shows both old and new style. Only dates between Jan 1 and Mar 25 and before 1752 are affected. Also in 1752, the date after Sept 2, 1752 became Sept 14, 1752.
Click for Notable, less serious incidents ( 1391 entries ) & incidents outside New Eng.
Dates with a c. ( circa ) indicates date incident reported. Actual date unknown, but usually within a week before date indicated.
Compiled by and credit to John R. Bolduc, Derry NH Contributions & corrections:
n1qgs(at)yahoo(dot)com Permission has been granted to Firehouse.com "World of Fire" and Fire-L to redistribute "portions" of this list.

See http"//www.bolducnh.com/State_wide/onthisdate-ne-notes.htm for source references:

Jan 06, 1912 - Milford - NH - French and Heald furniture factory burned down in -20*F weather (150 employees) - When the mill burned, citizens raised $50,000 to help the company rebuild on Nashua Street, where Edgewood Plaza is today(2004) - The factory, which had been sold to Sprague and Carlton, closed in 1967.

Jan 11, 1888 - Swanzey - NH - Mount Huggins Hotel burn to ground - The 4 story 96 x 142 grand hotel was five years old, however was officially opened - The original owner ran into financial problems and sold out to the owner of another hotel - The new owner was in the process of furnishing the hotel when it burned *www.hsccnh.org*

Jan 11, 1960 - Manchester - NH - 962-970 Elm Street - 4 story building gutted by fire, 13 businesses and offices damaged - With 5 feet of water in the basement, firefighters used a rescue boat to fight the fire remaining in the ceiling

Jan 14, 1653 - Boston - Massachusetts Bay Colony - Great Fire destroys one third of the then small town

Jan 14, 1902 - Manchester - NH - Elm Street - Kennard Building "by far the finest business block in the state", 144 feet wide and 96 feet tall (6 stories) containing 120 stores, offices and rooms totally loss to fire - Smyth Block and Derryfield Club badly damaged - Mut/Aid Concord and Nashua - Many law libraries and precious art collections lost - The fire started about 9:00 P.M. in the ceiling of the Allen and Kimball Clothing store at the north end of the structure - the fire was thought to be under control but soon the entire building was engulfed - Fire traveled through all 5 stories the length of the block - The stores and offices on the ground floor were among the most gracious in the city housing many lawyers and doctors offices - Destroyed was an 82 piece set of the work of one of Manchester's most famous sculptors, John Rogers - Entire building was reduced to rubble, with a loss of over $500,000.

Jan 18, 1985 - Manchester - VT - Equinox House - Very large wooden Resort Inn - Was closed for 10 years and had just completed renovation - Gas explosion and fire that destroyed the south wing of the historic inn - Flames 60 feet high, destroyed 70 rooms of the 148 rooms - Fire started when a propane tank was damaged during installation - Leaking gas ignited and fire was sprayed into the structure.

Jan 19, 1921 - Worcester MA - Box 5114 - Main Street at Federal Street -
Jan 19, 1961 - Raymond - NH - Fatal house fire - Lane Road - 1.5 Story Wood Frame 6 room dwelling - Home of Myron and Elsie Cate. They lost three children in the fire and their house was burned almost to the ground, entirely gutted - Mutual Aid from Fremont, Candia, and Epping.
Contributed by Vicki (Cate) Feinn, sibling of those who perished) - Note: Firefighters had to contend with near zero daytime temperature that followed a blizzard that dumped 22 inches of wind blown snow in the region MU*

Jan 20, 1984 - Boston - MA - 6th Alarm - Fire on asphalt-covered piers and railroad bridge on the Charles River, burning within six feet of the Spaulding Rehab Hospital, 26,000 rail commuters that traveled this route daily would have to take shuttle buses for several months

Jan 21, 1924 - Lyndon - VT - Historic Fire - Stern's Store, & every building on the south side of Depot Street from Elm to Broad. - One hundred fifty people were left homeless.

Jan 21, 1961 - Concord - NH - 2nd Alarm ++ - Box 624 - St. Paul's School - The Big Study Hall, 3 story brick, built in 1872, is destroyed by fire in minus 25*F weather - Flames shot hundreds of feet into the air - Roof collapsed and walls partially collapsed - Fire started in first floor lavatory - Three firefighters suffered injuries and two suffered frostbite - Firefighters had to use blow torches to uncouple the hoses after the fire was brought under control - Mutual Aid Bow, Loudon, Penacook, and Manchester

Jan 23, 1890 - Colebrook - NH - Main Street at Parson Street - Parson House ablaze - Spread to Forristall Block, over to a barn, then to the Remick Block which was a 2.5 Story building containing a harness shop and a meat market on lower floors with a Jewelry store, pool room on the second floor and on the third floor, the Grand Army of the Republic Hall

Jan 28, 1970 - Swanton - VT - Most of downtown business district destroyed by fire- Flames fanned by severe high winds - over 15 buildings destroyed - M/A for approximately 25 depts from Vermont, New York State and Quebec battled the blaze.

Feb 01, 1967c. - Boston - MA - 5th Alarm - Box 1441 - 141 Tremont Street - C. Crawford Hollidge Store (a rough guess on the date month/day) - From J.O. - I attended the C. Crawford Hollidge Fire as a young lad of 17. The building was located at 141 Tremont Street and the fire occurred sometime between 0700 and 0800. It was on a very cold and bitter day and Boston was experiencing a snow storm at the same time. I too have no recollection of the date but I would venture to guess that it was either January or February of 1967. I can assure you that I can still feel the cold in my bones when I think of that fire. Spectacular is too light a word for that job. (Date Approximate)

Feb 02, 1991 - Berlin - NH - General Alarm - Main Street at Pleasant Street - Four 3 and 4 story buildings in downtown section destroyed by fire - 68 firefighters worked in -15*F cold - Fire started in basement of Sundance Jeans and spread to buildings containing a shoe store, jewelry store and a vacant building used for storage - Mut/Aid Gorham, Milan, West Milan

Feb 03, 1800 - Hanover - NH - Shop of Jedediah Baldwin (in lower of end of what became the Bridgeman's Block burned)

Feb 04, 1914 - Derry - NH - Box 56 (Crystal Ave at Pearl Street) - Moody Street - Kitchen fire extended to several rooms and blowing out windows on arrival - Letter Carrier rescued disabled 68 year old woman and a 4 year old boy - Apparatus was delayed arriving on scene as one of the fire horses was being borrowed for a project on the Birch Street Bridge

Feb 12, 1981 - VT - NH - Extensive damage from flooding in sections of New Hampshire and Vermont a result of driving rains, spring-like weather and then a sudden return to extreme cold temps, 1 death blamed on weather

Feb 15, 1948 - Amherst - NH - 3 Story brick building known as Cushing's Folly completely destroyed - Contained grocery store, post office and three apartments - Old coal furnace in basement gone out of control spread up through 3rd floor totally involving building - Water supply on Twombley Pond had 20 inches of ice firefighters had to cut through to draft water - Mut/Aid Milford and Nashua - Extreme exposure to other buildings in village, all were protected, helped by a windless evening - Explosion of paint, oil and ammunition punctuated the fire

Feb 15, 1981 - Lawrence - MA - 4th Alarm - 70 Bay State Road - former Clara Cheese Company - 5 Story bldg - Series of fires gutted five story brick apartment house and damaged two vacant mills and four other structures - State of Emergency declared by mayor. Mut/Aid 34 departments, including Fitzwilliam NH.

Feb 22, 1992 - Lebanon (West Lebanon) - NH - Lebanon United Methodist Church burned down - Only an unstable steeple remained from the 160 year old building - Two 16 year old males arrested for arson - Exposure school damaged by fire

Mar 01, 1931 - Tewksbury - MA - Evangelical Camp - Large two building in the camp, the kitchen building and the dining hall building burned - 2 local youths from prominent families charged with lighting the fires

Mar 05, 1963 - Bedford - NH - Bedford Center Road at Church Road - French's Store (on site of former George H. Wiggin and Company store) partially destroyed by fire - Following evening building was completely destroyed by fire

Mar 06, 1990 - Manchester - NH - Stolen ambulance - Ambulance attendants were on a call in a fourth-floor Lowell Street apartment when a man stole their ambulance and drove around the corner before crashing it into a sidewalk patio early in the morning. Firefighters chased the man and cornered him a block away. He was taken into custody by Manchester police shortly after midnight. ''It's the first time I ever chased down a car thief,'' said Manchester Fire Department Capt. Vinnie Toland.

Mar 08, 2003 - Fremont - NH - 2nd Alarm - 259 Main Street - 2.5 Story Wood Frame occupied dwelling - Chimney fire extended - 4 lines out - the Merrill House was completely destroyed by fire. The house was built in 1822. A friend was watching the house while the owners were vacationing. A family pet died in the fire

Mar 14, 1929 - Ellsworth - ME - "The most disastrous fire in the history of Ellsworth" - Hancock County Courthouse was gutted, and two firemen lost their lives when the belfry tower crashed to the basement carrying the firemen with it

Mar 22, 1931 - Holderness - NH - Homestead of Louis Avery destroyed by fire - 7 children killed in fire that razed the house in just 15 minutes - Green stovewood placed in oven to dry caused the fire - Children had gathered in parlor after being alert of fire - A rear door was opened causing a flashover that consumed those gathered - 7 other families members survived the fire
Mar 22, 1967 - Nashua - NH - 823/4 West Hollis Street (Corner of Pine Street) - 2.5 story 5 unit apartment house fire - 2 children killed, 12 left homeless

Mar 23, 1931 - Boston - MA - 4th Alarm - South End - Old Colony Furniture Company - A 2nd alarm fire was being fought simultaneously in the same district - 2 other smaller fires were also being fought in the city at the same (Corrected date, was listed as Mar 23, 1904)

Apr 01, 1900 - Derry (East Derry) - NH - old J.C. Sanders Place - Fire in attic and roof of ell and all along attic and roof of main house - Bucket brigade using 30 pails and 40 large milk cans fought fire for 2 hours - Kitchen and dining room damaged by fire - entire roof of ell burned of - House roof "honeycombed" - Alarm of fire rung in by the East Derry Church bell

Apr 01, 1987 - Northern New England - Worst flooding in 50 years causes state of emergency to be declared - Roads and a historic bridge in Maine washed out - In Nashua NH, a man was swept away by the Nashua River at the Main Street bridge and over a dam, fatally

Apr 03, 1954 - Leominster - MA - The fire started in a supply room in the Castle Novelty Company on Manning Ave. the heat set fire to the nearest buildings in it's path, single family houses, triple deckers, a garage, and the Aubuchon hardware store. The only two firefighters injured were trapped under a brick wall a call firefighter's car got burned as well. My great grandfather drove the city's 1946 seagrave ladder to the fire On the first call. In the end, 12 buildings damaged and or destroyed with 56 left homeless. *contributed / 2nd per 12/04*

Apr 14, 1905 - Sanford (Springvale) - ME - Bridge Street and Main Street - Most of business section of the village and the Usher Shoe Shop and Butler and Fogg Shoe Shop, the vacant Springvale Shoe Shop on Pleasant Street, the Dirigo Block and Main and Bridge Streets, the Tebbett's Hotel at Main and Oak Streets destroyed by fire

Apr 14, 1954 - Fitzwilliam - NH - Mountain Monadnock "Half Way House - Large grand resort hotel with room for about 300 guests destroyed by fire - First hotel on this site burned down in 1866

Apr 14, 1963 - Cambridge - MA - Major Fire - John P. Squire Company -

Apr 14, 1990 - Manchester - NH - 4th Alarm - Lowell Street at Malvern Street - 3 StyWdFrm tenement spread to 3 other buildings due to gusty winds. Fire began at 20 Malvern St., and quickly spread to adjacent buildings at 18 Malvern St. and 326 Concord St. The fire also damaged buildings at 24 Malvern St., and 318 Lowell St. - Six families were left homeless by the fire

Apr 15, 1984c. - Concord - NH - 125-year-old St. Paul's Episcopal Church, a historic landmark across the street from the State House heavily damaged by fire - In 1988 a former Concord man who confessed to setting 56 fires in Florida has been charged with torching St. Paul's Episcopal Church. Damage to the 125-year-old church took 2 1/2 years and $3 million to repair.

Apr 21, 1912 - Fremont - NH - Martin Road - New England Brick Company - Sparks from a train started a fire that consumed 7 houses with barns and shed, a boarding house, a dining hall, an ice house, a bakery, and a blacksmith shop - Brickyard was abandoned at time of fire

Apr 24, 1884 - Fall River - MA - April 24, 1884 - At 6 P.M. fire started amongst cotton in the basement of Sagamore Mill No. 1, a brick structure, which was destroyed within a few hours.

Apr 24, 1903c. - Farmington - ME - Exchange Hotel burned - $5000 loss

Apr 24, 1941 - Marshfield MA - Fire started near junction of Plymouth Avenue and Ocean Street Fieldston Burned to Samoset Avenue Ocean Bluff, Destroyed, 446 Houses. 96 Garages, 12 Stores, 2 Hotels, Casino, Post Office, and a Church. buildings to go then came the large Ocean Bluffs Casino, the large general store and post office of Starratt and Wright - The stop was made at the corner of Ocean Street and Samoset avenue

Apr 24, 1956 - Londonderry - NH - Grenier Field - Air Force C-47 transport plane on demo flight crashes during late season storm - News reporter Palmer Payne was on board the plane had a tape recorder going before, during, and after the crash, making for a dramatic news report

Apr 25, 1888 - Concord - NH - Unitarian Church and High School along with adjacent house burn to ground - Fire started in third floor chemistry laboratory and was fanned by strong northerly winds (Unitarian Church also burned in 1

Apr 25, 2004 - Berlin - NH - 5th Alarm - Pleasant Street near Main Street - Downtown business block - Fire started in a storage area located in the Color Works building - Color Works, North Country Florist, Studio Works, Waystack and King and Coos County Adult Tutorial and Adult Basic Education were destroyed in the fire, which caused an estimated $1 million in damage.

Apr 29, 1984 - Northfield - VT - Fire truck accident Fatal - Norwich University cadet driving a fire truck that went out of control and killed three cadets - Driver was charged with drunken driving with death resulting - One of the Cadet's was married just three weeks earlier

May 01, 1905 - Bartlett - NH - Cove Mountain House - Hotel with capacity of 50-75 guest suffers kitchen fire that spreads and completely destroys building - Howard Hotel is built on this site in 1910 which was renamed the Bartlett Hotel and eventually was destroyed by fire March 7, 1989

May 04, 1845 - Portsmouth - NH - Major fire - Fire started in dye house at Hanover and Market St . Penhallow Street also affected. - Fire fanned out and destroyed several 4 story brick bldgs, several houses, a cabinet shop, several warehouses and grocery stores - Mutual Aid Newburyport MA with 3 engines and 400 volunteers - The garrison at Fort Constitution also provided aid with an excellent engine

May 07, 1933 - Ellsworth - ME - Arsonist set fire to the Old Bijou Theater Building with strong winds and embers spreading fire to three fourths of the business district and the residences south of Main Street - 130 buildings were destroyed, many others damaged - Loss in excess of $1,200,000. Mutual Aid Blue Hill, Belfast, Bangor, Old Town, Bucksport, Southwest Harbor, Northeast Harbor, Brewer, and Bar Harbor. In an attempt to save Hancock Hall where the city's records were kept, firefighters dynamited the Partridge house. The explosion inadvertently sent burning lumber into the building and Hancock Hall was lost.

May 07, 2004 - (North) Windham ME - 3rd Alarm -608 Roosevelt Trail (Route 302) @ Pinelyne Furniture. Heavy fire in a 2-3 story storage area between an attached commercial store and a farmhouse, separated by fire walls. The storage area heavily involved with collapse of roof area. Several towns responded M/A to the fire including a tanker task for water.

May 17, 1965 - Manchester - NH - First snorkel truck apparatus in New Hampshire goes in service as Truck 1, purchased for $56,300. Used at the Pine Island Amusement fire on Dec 2nd

May 18, 1736 - Portsmouth - NH - Dwelling of Richard Waldron (Secretary of the Colonial Province of New Hampshire) destroyed by fire

May 18, 1927 - Conway (South Conway) - NH, 150 year old house struck by lightning and destroyed by resulting fire - This beautiful house owned by Eliza Parsons Underhill also contained a library of 1200 books - Total loss $10,000

May 18th, 1934 - Newburyport - MA - Several fire started by an arsonist culminating in a conflagration - First fire was on Merrimac Street across for the fire station - Fowler Rooming House, contained to one room - Second fire was on Liberty Street for a junkyard and storage sheds near the fire station - Mutual Aid Amesbury assisted in bringing the fire under control in two hours - Third fire was Merrimac Street opposite Summer Street for Box 47 near the city hall - 20 buildings along the waterfront were destroyed putting 500 workers out of work - Destroyed factories included Dodge Brothers shoe factory, a four story wood frame building and Learned Shoe factory, a five story brick and wood - A commercial garage and several dwellings located between Winter and Market Streets were also destroyed - Three and a half city blocks had been reduced to rubble. Three large shoe factories, 12 boats on McKay's wharf, a funeral parlor, the Odd Fellows hall, several commercial establishments and dwellings had been destroyed by the fire with damage estimated to be $1 million dollars Mutual aid from every town within 30 miles responded including Salisbury, Amesbury, Newbury, and West Newbury Haverhill, Lawrence, Lowell, Salem, Lynn, Danvers, Hamilton, Georgetown and Ipswich along with Portsmouth, Exeter and Hampton New Hampshire
May 18, 1963 - Chelsea - MA - 3rd Alarm - Crescent Ave - New England Coal and Wood Company destroyed

May 25, 1910 - Fremont - NH - Black Rocks Village - Large 2.5 Story building containing George W. Balls Union Hall and Restaurant, Cook's store, Charles Beede's store containing post office completely destroyed by fire - Caused by children playing with matches. Added information by contributor It burned three businesses in Fremont Village. It was one of the worst fires to strike the town. Because of this fire, it was necessary for Fremont to finally build a town hall to replace George W. Ball's Union Hall where social activities had been held in the town since that building was built in 1892.

May 25, 1964 - Manchester - NH - Chief Edward Grady resigns, after 35 years with the department. His resignation with was accepted with regret. <

May 26, 1903 - Laconia - NH - Great Lakeport fire - Start in mill building and spread to through several blocks destroying several dwelling - Mut/Aid from as far as Dover

May 26, 1953 - Quonset Point - RI - off shore - 27,100 ton Carrier USS Bennington suffers a double explosion and fire killing 93 and injuring 201 - Helicopters flew the most serious injured to ashore, saving many who would have died

May 31, 1811 - Newburyport - MA - 250 buildings and shops destroyed in most prominent section of town - Fire started on Inn Street in the center of downtown by an arsonist - Baptist Meeting House in Market Square, where many well to do citizen had placed their belongings to be safe from the fire, was in turn destroyed when strong winds shifted - Amesbury, Rowley, Danvers, Ipswich, Beverly, Haverhill, Topsfield, Bradford, and Salem assisted in fighting fire

May 31, 1939 (Tuesday-Memorial Day)- Sandwich - NH - Upper Road - old Jesse Mudgett farm - Hay fire in barn destroys barn and house (I Have two b&w photos of this top floor of a three-story building completely gutted the top floor of a three-unit apartment building.

June 06, 1979 - Claremont - NH - Old Joy manufacturing company Main Street- Large mill building with oil soaked floors. Multiple alarm-(Pre-Plan). Smoke was blocking the sun at times and could be seen over 35 miles away.

June 07, 1981 - Claremont NH - General Alarm - Box 21 - Main Street - Belfon Machine and Whipple Paper company-part of the Old Joy Manufacturing company. Conflagration potential (per C-1).Wind conditions caused multiple fires in the area, jumped the river and started a 6 story foundry on fire also. Pre-Plan - 36 Engines, 18 aerials, and 441 Firefighters at the scene. (**Mut/Aid from 45 towns, as far as 55 miles away - Fire fanned by high winds spread to a house causing it to burn and threatened another homes and a foundry **)

Jun 09, 1988 - Manchester - NH - (McGregorville) Amory Street - Manchester Fire Station Six (95 years old) gutted by fire - Firefighters were out at a drill at Hillside Junior High when a pan left on the stove ignited the fire - Station was torn down and replaced

Jun 09, 200 - Woonsocket - RI - Jenckes Mill complex, seven acre abandoned mill site, a crazy-quilt warren of rooms and corridors added to the site since 1822 . The original fieldstone building in the center of the complex was the Jenckes Mill, oldest mill site in Woonsocket. Over the years, the mill was called the Dunn Worsted, making woolen goods and was finally home to Electronic Molding Corporation. While a thrift store tried and failed to make a go of it in one of the newer areas, the complex had been vacant for at least 10 years. A major concern was to keep the fire from spreading to a residential block of multifamily homes and a furniture store across the street and downwind of the inferno. Fire and rescue personnel from North Smithfield, Lincoln, Cumberland, Blackstone, Millville and other surrounding communities poured in to assist and to provide station coverage.

Jun 20, 1965 - Manchester - NH - General Alarm, 102 Spruce Street - 760 Elm Street, 2 four story blocks - Residential over Commercial spread to Hellenic Community House - A spectacular fire destroyed 3 business blocks on Elm Street across from Merrimack Common in the heart of the city, 2 million dollars damage to the stores in the 2 four story blocks and extensively damaged Kauf's Automotive store

Jun 29, 1876 - Fall River - MA - Mill #2 of the American Linen Company, built of granite, with a pitched roof, suffered fire damage in the two upper stories. Loss, $183,000. In rebuilding, the company adopted the flat roof.

Jun 29, 1946 - Manchester - NH - 3rd Alarm - 1117-1127 Elm Street - Moreau and Sons Hardware - Fire in rear of main building - Explosions from drums of chemicals - Fire was started by employee who spilled shellac which ignited - Fire spread to containers of linseed oil, anti-freeze, turpentine, kerosene, creosote, and benzene - Building was heavily involved in less than a minute

Jul 04, 1856 - Claremont - NH - North Street - Mascoma Fire Company from Lebanon fell through wire suspension bridge during holiday parade - A fifer broke his back during the fall and was removed from river, dead

Jul 09, 1870 - Manchester - NH - Manchester Street near Elm Street - Six acres of dense city blocks burn including Drake and Carpenter's Flour and Spice Store, Masonic Temple, 1st Calvinistic Baptist Church, animal stables, carpenters shops and printing shop - Worst non-mill fire in city history - Started in a building in the rear of The Merchants Exchange. Strong winds fanned the blaze destroying the entire square from Nutfield Lane to Chestnut Street, Hanover Street to Manchester Street. The fire started in the establishment of Carpenter & Drake (formerly the Merrill Spice House). Property damage was estimated at nearly $250,000 with about 200 families left homeless.

Jul 12, 1681 - Boston - MA - Dwellings of Mr. Lamb set afire by the "slave woman" and fire spread to home of Mr Swan - A young girl died as a result of this fire - The woman was found guilty and publically burned to death as her punishment *www.damrellsfire.com*

Jul 17, 1923 - Nashua - NH - Robinson Road - Barns of the historic Lund farm destroyed by fire (Property later became the Erion Homestead just around the corner from where I grew up - The cellar hole of one of the barns' as a local landmark for the neighborhood kids)

Jul 29, 1903 - Lowell (South Lowell) - MA - United States Cartridge Company = 2 large magazine buildings where powder, nitro-glycerin and dynamites were stored exploded killing 20 and injured more than 50 - 65 houses damaged, some completely destroyed - Only two large holes remained where buildings stood ("Blown to Atoms") - Shook felt for 50 miles - In Derry (20 miles away)large buildings were jarred, windows and door were rattled

Jul 30, 1927 - Manchester - NH - Worst accident in FD history. Captain Frank H. Harvey and firefighter Louis A. Cote died as a result of a collision between Hose 1 and Ladder 3 at Union Street and Lake Avenue while responding to box 711. Six other firefighters were injured. Accident was found to be unavoidable and the drivers were exonerated from blame

Aug 02, 1923 - Franconia (Franconia Notch) - NH - Lafayette House (Gibbs Hotel) 2.5 Story hotel with 75 guest capacity - Moved across road from original location to become dorms for workers at the Profile House - Destroyed by fire

Aug 05, 1988 - Nashua - NH - Hazmat - Poisson Ave - WR Grace Chemical Plant - Large chemical release causes large hydrochloric acid cloud to spread over area causing 2,200 residents to be evacuated - 42 person sent to hospitals (Note: Name of street is "Poisson", which is the French word for "fish", although residents refer to the street as "Poison Ave")

Aug 12, 1844 - Manchester - NH - Elm Street opp Hanover St - 3 Story Brick 90x63 - Manchester Town Hall destroyed by fire (Manchester wasn't a city yet, therefore it was a "Town" hall - Smoke was first seen coming from the bell tower - Fire then broke through the roof and the building was in ruins in a hour or two

Aug 15, 1878c. - Raymond - NH - Railroad station and station storage house consumed by fire - Railroad station burned down again in 1892

Aug 15, 1907 - Old Orchard Beach - ME - Known as The Great Fire At Old Orchard Beach - Seventy-five acres of property destroyed in the heart of the resort town - Every Big Hotel with the exception of one, plus dozens of cottages in burned to ground - One killed, three injured - Property loss near $1,000,000 - Hundreds homeless

Aug 20, 1916 - Marlow - NH - One of the worse fires in Cheshire County history - The fire started in the rear portion of the Marlow Inn consumed the entire north side of Main Street, destroying The Wheeler, Crosby, Britton, and Burnap homes as well as the Marlow Inn, the Ladies Aid Society building, the Granite State Evaporator Company, Ayer's store, and Dodge's grain store *www.hsccnh.org*

Aug 25, 1851 - Concord - NH - Conflagration - old Mechanic's Row 3 Story Wood, Stickney Block, Eagle Coffee House, Merchants Exchange - Dense business district south to Park Street, over to School at Main Street, east to Main Street at Railroad tracks

Aug 26, 1991 - Manchester - NH - 2nd Alarm, 221 Manchester St. several people homeless, shut down D&S II Market and caused about $100,000 in damage. The building was the scene of two previous blazes in the past 10 months - one classified as arson and the other deemed suspicious.

Aug 28, 1825 - Hart's Location (Crawford Notch) - NH - Fatal Land Slide - The Willey Slide at Willey House - Mountain slide kills 9 family members killed seeking shelter in an outbuilding after fleeing house - Slide split just before reaching house and one of the paths destroyed the outbuilding, totally sparing the house

Sep 05, 1998 - St. Johnsbury - VT - Church Street - PMI building - Firefighter Eugene McDonough.was killed during this fire - He was the first firefighter to die in the line of duty in the fire department's long history

Sep 06, 1970c - (East) Derry - NH - Labor Day - Barn that house East Derry's first fire engine in 1930's burned to ground - Large two story 90X150 barn filled to the rafters with 4000 bales of hay - East Derry, Derry, Londonderry and Grenier Field fought this fire

Sep 06, 1980 - Derry - NH - Rte 102 in Derry Vlg - Chase's Mill lumber building - Many of 600 FF's attending New Hampshire State Firemen's Assn Convention assisted in fighting the fire around midnight - Several of the firemen were still wearing formal clothes from the FF's Ball

Sep 08, 1881 - Amherst - NH - Forest fires and unusual weather conditions in area cause greatly darkened skies - The darkened yellow sky was in a the worst way between 11AM and 2PM when homes needed inside lighting, schools were dismissed and hens roosted - Noted in Bedford history book as Sep 06, 1881

Sep 10, 1967 - Epping - NH - Hartford Road in West Epping - Recently vacated 1.5 Story Wood Frame four room dwelling destroyed by fire - Family (2 adults, 6 children) had recently moved across the street and still had much of their furniture still in the dwelling

Sep 15, 1900 - Laconia (The Weirs) - NH - Train Wreck, 2 freight trains in a tremendous head-on collision resulting in fire, death, and serious injury - The two locomotives telescoped together while the following freights cars were piled around the point of collision. Some of the cars were reduced to kindling

Sep 18, 1996 - Plymouth - NH - 2nd Alarm, 11 Langdon Street / Fox Park - Fire seriously damaged an apartment building, leaving 29 people homeless. - Many were Plymouth State College students living off-campus. Four apartments were destroyed, eight were damaged by water and smoke. Two firefighters required treatment, for exhaustion and a laceration

Sep 19, 1680 - Boston - MA - Old South Meeting House - Fire in a private room in the clock tower *http://www.damrellsfire.com*

Sep 19, 1874 - Fall River - MA - The holocaust known as the Granite Mill fire occurred in the early morning of Saturday. It is the most appalling disaster in the history of our cotton manufacture. The barn shaped roof was the sixth story of the mill; the only exit was the staircase in the tower of the mill. When the fire occurred it quickly cut off access to the tower and operatives in the sixth floor were obligated to jump from the windows to save their lives. In attempting this method of escape thirty operatives were killed and many more suffered serious and life long injuries. The fire is supposed to have been caused by a friction spark which kindled some cotton; the fire department ladders were not long enough to reach the sixth floor and fire nets were not available.

Sep 20, 1845 - Lake Champlain - VT - Adirondack Tornado - The Traveled over a 275 mile track - Starting as a waterspout on Lake Ontario, then as a tornado over northern New York. Arrival at Lake Champlain In Vermont, it reverted to a waterspout - Considerable damage and injury

Sep 21, 1938 - Northeast - USA - New England Hurricane of 1938 - Telephone and power out in Amherst NH for two weeks - As the Hurricane of 1938 approached Long Island Sound, the eye of the storm was 50 miles wide. Sustained winds were in the area of 70 to 110 miles per hours as the hurricane threatened Rhode Island. Over 400 deaths were caused due to extreme flooding. Massachusetts where the Blue Hill Observatory just west of Boston recorded winds of 186 mph. The hurricane passed through central Massachusetts and into the Connecticut River Valley of New Hampshire. Sustained winds of 80 mph produced severe damage in much of the state. It wasn't until after sunset that the storm passed out of the northern most reaches of the state and into Canada. Over 700 victims died from this fury of nature. Estimates put damage around $400,000,000. Forecasters had badly erred in their prediction the hurricane would pass out to sea wide to the east of New England. In Hancock NH Hancock Congregational church in the village suffered when the storm tore off the steeple, and forced it back through the roof of the church upside down.

Sep 21, 1938 - Peterborough - NH - Transcript Bldg and Taylor Bldg heavy fire - Many other bldgs between Contoocook River and Main St involved in fire - Mut/Aid from as far as Nashua - During Great Hurricane of 1938 - Keene could not respond as roads were washed out

Sep 23, 1894 - Newfields - NH - (until 1895, known as the town of South Newmarket) - Main Street - Shutes Hotel, the stables of J.C. Hanson burned spreading to the old Kennard House (2 tenement) and to shed

Sep 26, 1901 - Groveland - MA - The Town Hall building on King Street, containing all grades from the third to eighth in the central part of town, was totally destroyed by fire - Some of the displaced classes where held at the firehouse!

Oct 02, 1903c. - Newport - RI - Photograph Gallery of Miss Amie Dupont damaged by fire causing $15,000 damage - Large number of negatives of New York Socialites and leading members of Metropolitan Opera Company destroyed

Oct 08, 1997 - Fitchburg - MA - 5th Alarm - Water Street - Fire destroyed a vacant factory, the former Great American Chemical Corp. building on Water Street 500,000-square-foot building, once a woolen mill, had been vacant since the early 1980s,

Oct 11, 1988c. - Dalton - NH - Vacation home destroyed by fire, 2 local volunteer firefighters were arrested for arson - One of many devastating fires that plagued the Jefferson NH area over a five month period, since early May

Oct 14, 1973 - Chelsea - MA - Conflagration - Observed as far as 50 miles - Flames blown forward by fierce winds, jumped quickly from building to building. hundreds of homeless took refuge at the Chelsea National Guard Armory, the fire had leveled a fifth of the city. It was the third worst fire in Greater Boston history, taking 2,000 firefighters from as far away as Manchester, New Hampshire, almost a week to extinguish completely.

Oct 15, 1690 - Boston - MA - near the Old South Meeting House - Several buildings consumed including a newly established "printing office"

Oct 15, 1947 - State of Maine - ME - Forest Fires through the state consume 200,000 acres along with 851 permanent homes and 397 cottages - Much of Goose Rocks section of Kennebunkport wiped out by forest fire

Oct 17, 1953 - Boston - MA - Boston Harbor - Aircraft Carrier USS Leyte explosion kills 37 and injures 40 - Described by survivors are if a subway train was going through the ship (There was no ammunition on board the ship at the time) - The skipper of the Leyte was in only his third week of command

Oct 21, 1996 - Derry - NH - 100 year storm floods 200 homes - Epping - NH -- A 16-year-old boy was swept into the Lamprey River, a family of five was rescued from their home by boat and nearly 100 people were evacuated from their residences - Officials also took steps to prevent a dam off Route 27 from giving way. - Evacuations of some 100 people along the Lamprey River, between 40 and 50 homes

Oct 26, 1821 - Fall River - MA - The original building of the Troy Cotton and Woolen Manufactory, operating 1800 spindles, was burned to the ground. The blaze was occasioned by friction in the picker rooms.

Oct 30, 1905 - Hanover - NH - Bridgeman Block (largest business block in town) destroyed by fire - Fire started in basement of Rand's Upholstery store and ran the length of the block through the basement - Many Dartmouth College students living in block barely escaped with their lives - $100,000 loss (Conflicting date of Oct 30, another year)

Nov 02, 1877 - Fall River - MA - Early in the morning an explosion, thought to have been due to leakage of gas during the night, took place in the Border City Mill, #1. The mill was speedily reduced to ruins.

Nov 02, 1946 - Manchester - NH - 3rd Alarm - Elm Street, between Kidder Street and Hollis Street - 4 story brick block long building (200 feet of frontage) - Entire southern half of block destroyed by fire with rest of block heavily damaged - Total $750k-$1 million damage - Manchester's most disastrous fire in 37 years occurred - First floor was occupied by Auto Electric, where the fire was thought to have started - Hardware and Plumbing Company, Camera Shop - Much of upper floors were being remodeled to included businesses and many apartment - Two people on the roof were rescued

Nov 04, 1911 - Chester - NH - Dr. Brown's house a blacksmith shop, shed and barn, along with a one story house, a country store, and another dwelling near the cemetery destroyed by fire (Total four families burnt out of homes)

Nov 09, 1924 - Laconia - NH - The Weirs - Ten buildings valued at $275,000 dollars destroyed by fire - Fire started in dance hall and spread to Methodist Episcopal Church, a building block containing the Post Office and 3 stores, the Casino, a restaurant, the Third Regiment Building, the New Weirs Hotel, and the Auditorium

Nov 09, 1939 - Berlin - NH - Main St and Mason St - Entire 3 story Morin Block burned down - Mutual Aid Northumberland (Groveton) and Gorham - J.C. Penney Store, a restaurant, clothing store, beauty salon, two insurance company offices, 2 doctors offices, and a social club - Two firefighters from Ladder 4 died in the line of duty - One fell thirty feet off the roof. A second firefighter was struck by a fire truck while working a hose connection.

Nov 10, 1991 - Everett - MA - 7th Alarm - A former department store that had been renovated into fifteen separate stores, 150 elderly residents of upper floors of the building had to be evacuated - More than 200 firefighters from 14 area fire departments were called to the scene - The worst fire in the history of Everett

Nov 19, 2002 - Lyndon - VT - 3rd Alarm - South Wheelock Rd - Dartmouth-Hitchcock Corner Medical Center historic former historic Lyndon Corner Graded School - 3 Story Brick Medical Offices - Heavy fire from the roof - Master stream operation - Mutual Aid 10 fire trucks from Lyndonville, St. Johnsbury, Sheffield-Wheelock, Sutton, East Burke, and Littleton four aerial towers operating structure's roof and interior were completely engulfed in flames. 45 minutes into fire the belfry of the former schoolhouse was nothing but charred, glowing timber. Fire and smoke was visible from I91 - A roofing company was working on the building's roof when the fire started - The Lyndon Corner Graded School was built in 1858. Its bell and belfry had once been part of the Lyndon Academy, built in 1831. Became a medical center about 1992

Nov 25, 1924 - Nashua - NH - East Hollis Street at Dearborn Street - Nashua Street Department building - Fire in boiler room - Two firefighters were injured when STEAMER 3 blew up. Steamer 3 had been in service since 1872. The chamber on the steamer exploded causing the horses to bolt. Driver Percy Lintott of Steam 3 was bowled over. Fireman E.C. York was struck by a piece of flying metal and received a gash to the head.

Nov 27, 2001 - Berlin - NH - General Alarm - 824 Western Ave - Garage fire extended to and destroying 4 story 5 unit vacant apartment building - Exposure 3 story occupied multi family dwelling consumed - The vacant apartment building was a 200 year old balloon constructed structure that had served as a hospital in the days when horse drawn ambulances were used

Dec 01, 1999 - Durham - NH - 3rd Alarm - Coe Drive - Oyster River High School - Heavy fire rear near woodworking shop - Arson - Set by boyfriend of girl who attended school - "Thought she would have more time with him if school burned"

Dec 5, 1867 - Fall River - MA - An explosion of one of the boilers of the main building of the Globe (Bay State) Print Works on Globe Street started a fire which entirely consumed the structure. No lives were lost, although there were some narrow escapes, and several people were severely injured.

Dec 05, 1892 - Raymond - NH, 25 buildings destroyed by fire including 2 churches, entire Odd Fellows Block, entire Prescott Block, several businesses and dwellings - Fire started in Knights of Pythias Hall - Mut/Aid Manchester and Portsmouth - Every store but one in village destroyed - Adjacent hotel to original fire building spared by very strong winds in opposite direction

Dec 06, 1973 - Fremont - NH - Spaulding and Frost Cooperage - Main Street - All but one building destroyed by fire (the present company novelty shop was spared), 100 employee temporarily out of work - West side of fire station severely burned - Exeter FD aerial ladder credit with saving station with their constant spray of water - - - Major fire, 2.5 Sty mill over 100 feet long - Flames seen from Portsmouth Ave in Exeter

Dec 08, 1961 - Hartford - CT - Hartford Hospital Fire - 13 Story hospital 810 hospital - Cigarette thrown down trash shoot that according to the NFPA Journal handled 5,000 tons of trash each day - Trash smoldered but did not ignite under an access door on the 14th floor was opened - Fire shoot up the shoot and out the access doors on several floors - Fire spread rapidly on ninth floor killing 16 people

Dec 08, 1997 - Chester - VT - 4th Alarm - Main Street at Rte 35 - Readex Company - Large Commercial Bldg in Downtown District Two Story Wood Frame 40by120 Ten town mutual aid to fire - Power cut to town due to fire Chester Pumping Station failed causing need massive pumper shuttle For a while, mutual aid cover trucks were unable to move up to fire as they were stuck in Chester FD when power to town was cut, station doors were stuck with Grafton and Cavendish pieces inside. No injuries reported. Tri-Mountain Mutual Aid sent 5 tankers to fire in addition to Meadowood NH FD sending air-supply and lighting unit to scene Chester VT FD

Dec 09, 1904 - Nashua - NBH - Box 16 - The Commercial Inn - Heavy fire floor 2 and top of building - 3 Occupants of room started fire in an ornamental fire place thinking it was a real fireplace - They fell asleep and awoke to the room being on fire - The three were charged with arson and held on $1,500 bail each.

Dec 10, 1947 - Deerfield - NH - Line of Duty Death of Chief Leon W. Harvey, original chief of the department since 1932 - Struck by falling chimney

Dec 10, 1983 - Norwich - VT - FATAL Fire - House at Earth People's Park, a secluded commune near the US-Canadian border - A woman and two children died in fire - Four others with burns and minor injuries

Dec 11, 1920 - Derry - NH - East Derry - Broadlawn Milk Farm (former Nestling property) described as "The finest set of buildings in East Derry, without a doubt" - Large barn, house, and shed destroyed by fire - Derry News reported that the sky was lit up for miles and attracted over 2,000 spectators - The house built was in 1856

Dec 11, 1924 - Nashua - NH - Main Street Bridge burns - Totally destroyed for 2nd time - One of only two automobile bridges across the Nashua River, it was the primary artery linking north and south ends of the city - It was rebuilt, this time not of wood, but of steel and concrete and opened June 1926

Dec 12, 1905 - Berlin - NH - J.D. Lary boarding house involved in heavy fire - Occupant succumbed to flames after making several trips into house to save property, including a set of Victor Hugo novels

Dec 14, 1990 - Revere - MA - 10th Alarm - 34 High Street and area near Bell Circle - Fire in vacant house spread to several other dwellings in high winds - Over 120 people forced from their homes in the tightly packed neighborhood

Dec 15, 1867 - Fall River - MA - During a heavy snow storm, fire was discovered in the new granite structure of the American Print Works. The fire originated in the engine room. In less than four hours the ruin was complete with a loss of nearly $1,000,000, together with the destruction of the Bay State Print Works. The corporation was so badly handicapped for several years that reorganization was necessary.

Dec 16, 1898 - Salem (north Salem) - NH - D.W. Taylor & Company store and adjacent tenement house burned to ground - Fire started on floor 2 of store which house meeting rooms of the Junior Order of American Mechanics and the Daughters of American Revolution - Methodist Church caught fire several times but was saved - $20,000 loss

Dec 16, 1902 - Brentwood - NH - Crawley Falls near present day fire station - Robert Rowe and Son's Carriage Wood Works mill and the Sanborn house destroyed by fire

Dec 16, 1969 - Leominster - MA - At around 02:00AM - A carelessly discarded cigarette on the second loading dock at the Standard Proxiloid Company sparked a fire that was made worse by the celluloid powder embedded in the walls. This caused the two story wood factory to explode shattering the plate glass of the A&M deli and coffee shop across the street (still standing today)> Burning debris was sent into the Monosnoc Brook, and the yard of the D.P.W.(across the bridge from fire) which was where all the fire trucks were parked at this 4 alarm fire *contributed 01/2005 - 2nd person account*

Dec 17, 1905 - Chester - NH - 2 miles from village - Southwick House - Large and commodious building, a pretty summer house for seasonal borders with a capacity of 40 guests - Totally destroyed by fire - $6,000 loss - Building had both hot and cold running water

Dec 19, 1932 - Athol - MA - Dwelling fire, mother and daughter killed - Phone operator saw flashing light on her switchboard for that circuit (caused by the fire in the home) and was able to contact fire department after monitoring the screams and horror that was occurring

Dec 20, 1861 - Wentworth - NH - School house in Buffalo School District (Set by incendiary) - Many members of the Kimball family were charged with this and several incendiary fires in the area, which were accompanied by crude letters of revenge being left near scene - This was part of a pattern of intimidation which included town folk being shot at in broad daylight on several occasions

Dec 30, 1896 - Manchester - NH - Accident / line of duty death (1st in city) - Lieutenant Thomas E. Gorman, 37, of Engine and Ladder 6 Gorman died while responding to box 53 on Bedford Road - Mishap occurred at Granite Square when the horse drawn Ladder started to skid on the icy roadway. Thinking that the truck was going to roll over overturn, Lt Gorman jumped off the truck and was run over by the rear wheels